Split 7″

$9.00 USD

Iconic Australian outfit Underground Lovers emerged from their hibernation in Spring 2013 with Weekend (Rubber Records), their first full-length release in nearly fifteen years.

This rebirth, an effort made possible through crowdsourcing from their fervent fan base, was met with immediate acclaim and dominated the country’s entertainment news cycle: critics unanimously lauded the Melbourne-based outfit’s seventh effort a perfect return to form with its characteristic blend of indie rock, dream pop, electronic loops and psychedelia in a package that few could emulate.

“The chemistry was instant,” said co-founder Vincent Giarrusso in an interview. “Once we locked into a groove and went for it, it felt as if we had never been apart.”

Underground Lovers makes their Chinese debut with “Haunted (Acedia),” a song from the Weekend sessions suffused with the same distinctive attributes: it’s a huge earworm of a love song with tactile layers of guitars and gauzy vocals that showcases the band’s affinity for accessible pop sensibilities swathed in shimmering shoegaze aesthetics.

The cut fares well alongside Dear Eloise, the Beijing-based duo who are settling comfortably into their new roles as China’s shoegaze elders. For this release, their fifth with Genjing, the husband-wife team have given birth to “Man Without a Name,” a richly layered cut of melodic dream pop with subtle patchworks of discord, like clouds gently ascending into an electrical storm, that further demonstrate the pair’s increasingly mature songwriting skills.

A vital blend of the best that both countries have to offer, this co-release between Genjing and Rubber Records is limited to 500 copies pressed on crystal clear vinyl (with silkscreened art designed by Shanghai design studio Idle Beats) and marks a crucial first step for the bands’ commitment in bolstering Sino-Australian relations. And the future, we have to say, has never looked brighter.